'Should We Run Relief Camps? Open Child Producing Centres?'

On September 9, Narendra Modi's
Gujarat Gaurav Yatra rolled into Becharaji, where he delivered his by now infamous Hum paanch, hamare pachees
speech -- that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) wanted a text of for its apparently inflammatory
content.The speech that the Gujarat Government claimed it had been unable to trace a copy of.

Indian Express reported: "Modi’s Principal Secretary P K Mishra had earlier told The Indian
Express: ‘‘Since the government has neither any tapes nor a transcript of the CM’s speech, it is not
in a position to send the same to the NCM.’’

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Excerpts from a translation of an audio recording of the speech, courtesy NDTV and Indian Express

Power hungry people are out to defame Gujarat. At such a time, the five crore people of Gujarat will gain
strength from the blessings of Becharaji to build tomorrow’s glorious Gujarat.

We are dubbed Hinduwadi because we have allocated Rs eight crore towards the development of Becharaji. Is
it our fault? Are we communal?

The Congress also accuses me of bringing the Narmada waters to the Sabarmati river in the month of Shravan.
But the dam has already been built... I want to ask the Congress, why do you object if people on the banks of
the Sabarmati derive spiritual peace through the Narmada waters brought in the month of Shravan? When you come
to power, you are free to bring water during Ramzan.

When we allocate funds for Becharaji, they do not like it. And if we bring Narmada waters in the month of
Shravan, then too they say they dislike it. So what should we do? Do we go and run relief camps? Should we
open child producing centres?

We want to firmly implement family planning. Hum paanch, humare pachees (We five, our 25) (laughs).
Who will benefit from this development? Is family planning not necessary in Gujarat? Where does religion come
in its way? Where does community come in its way?

The population is rising in Gujarat, money isn’t reaching the poor? What’s the reason? They make a
beeline, fix cycle punctures (Audience laughs).

If Gujarat is to be developed, then an economic system has to be developed where every child born in
Gujarat gets education, manners and employment. And for this, those who are multiplying population at a rapid
rate will need to learn a lesson. If we object to population growth, then too they dislike it. Will someone
please tell me is there any (such) country in the world? Is there BJP rule in China? Yet, China has enacted
laws to control population growth. Arrey, what does religion have to do with this?

We talk of madrasas. Madrasas have flourished in Gujarat. A child has a right to primary education. But a
child going to a madrasa is deprived of primary education. What will such a child do once he grows up?

Those who have got no education, and got only religious education, would they not become a burden on
Gujarat?

We started thinking about madrasas in Gujarat. When we express concern over madrasas, they call us
communal. Why? The Communist government in West Bengal applies laws in madrasas, curbs their activities, and
it is still secular? And if we try to regulate madrasas in Gujarat, we are dubbed as communal? After all, any
institution has to be regulated.

If Gujarat needs peace, a long-term plan has to be drawn. The merchants of death will not be allowed to run
their activities in Gujarat as they like.

And as I sit here at this seat of strength, standing at the feet of mother Becharaji, I want to assure you
that the high seat (of power) may go today or tomorrow, but I will not allow the merchants of death who want
to destroy Gujarat and harass the innocents to settle here.

Gujarat needs prosperity, it needs peace. Gujarat is forging ahead on the unity and strength of its five
crore people. The days are gone when Dawood Ibrahim sitting in Karachi could instruct the merchants of death
here and Gujarat could be set on fire. We will not allow this.

What for? For power? Power may go today or tomorrow. We have not applied Fevicol on the chair. We are
sitting at the feet of the people of Gujarat. If people feel we are performing, they will welcome us,
otherwise they will throw us out.

If the Congress is afraid of going to the people, then they should come out openly and say that since they
are sure of their defeat, the election should be delayed. Indira Gandhi had done it too. You do it, who’s
stopping you?

But no, they abuse Gujarat and Gujaratis instead. If you abuse Gujarat, that is not acceptable to us. Come
out openly and give us a fight if you are strong enough. Why do you escape instead?

It is I who has been defamed. Yet, I am ready to go to the people. You go straight to Italy, plead with the
Election Commission to stop polls. But we are not like you, we are proud of approaching the people. We take
pride in applying the dust from people’s feet onto our foreheads.

Italy’s daughter has insulted Gujarat and its five crore people. The land of Sardar Patel is insulted.
This has got to be explained. Sanjay (Gandhi) was only Maneka’s husband. Yet, it is his samadhi that
lies in Delhi, not that of Sardar Patel. The Congress is out to erase Sardar Patel’s name, but beware.

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"As much at ease reciting from scriptures of the world’s major religions as quoting chapter and verse from the Indian Constitution and Indian laws, former DGP RB Sreekumar of Gujarat..."

Our esteemed physicist has failed to mention the most important core competence of the former DGP - the ability to lie with effortless ease, be it regarding the ISRO scientists framed by him or about the then CM of Gujarat during the 2002 riots.

As much at ease reciting from scriptures of the world’s major religions as quoting chapter and verse from the Indian Constitution and Indian laws, former DGP RB Sreekumar of Gujarat, the first and most critical whistleblower exposing high level state complicity behind the carnage of 2002, speaks to Communalism Combat-Newsclick about the fresh challenges he faces.

This speech was delivered on September 9, 2002. When reports appeared in Delhi and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) asked the Gujarat government for a transcript, it was told that there was no record. However, an upright police officer by the name of RB Sreekumar, who was ADGP (Intelligence) at the time, obtained a transcript and sent it on to the NCM. He paid for his ‘disloyalty’ with a transfer; later, false cases were foisted upon him. In a curious coincidence, the Gujarat High Court on Friday cleared the decks for Sreekumar’s prosecution by the Gujarat government on charges that include, you guessed it, leaking sensitive information!

This speech was analysed by SIT and in the AK Malhotra report (page 160), it concludes

As regards the public speech delivered at Becharaji, Mehsana District on 09-09-2002, as a part of Gaurav Yatra, Shri Narendra Modi has explained that the speech did not refer to any particular community or religion. According to Shri Modi, this was a political speech in which he has pointed out the increasing population of India and had remarked that “can’t Gujarat implement family planning?” Shri Narendra Modi has claimed that his speech has been distorted by some interested elements, who had misinterpreted the same to suit their designs. He has also stated that there were no riots or tension after his election speech. The explanation given by Shri Modi is unconvincing and it definitely hinted at the growing minority population.

In the SIT final repoort the conclusion drawn is (page 241-242)

As regards the public speech delivered at Becharaji, Mehsana District on 09-09-2002, as a part of Gaurav Yatra, Shri Narendra Modi has explained that the speech did not refer to any particular community or religion. According to Shri Modi, this was a political speech in which he has pointed out the increasing population of India and had remarked that “can’t Gujarat implement family planning?” Shri Narendra Modi has claimed that his speech has been distorted by some interested elements, who had misinterpreted the same to suit their designs. He has also stated that there were no riots or tension after his election speech. No criminality has come on record in respect of this aspect of allegation.